Sucre

Did I just stumble on a gem of a place: Sucre in New Orleans.

If you are lucky enough to live in New Orleans, you no doubt have stopped by Sucre for one of their many fantastic looking artisanal desserts/pastries/chocolates.  This place truly looks like a one stop shop for all your sweet tooth entertaining needs.  If you live in the US you at least can access their products via shipping.  If you are like me and live in Canada, you can only drool from the border 🙁 like I am.

view from the exterior

view from the inside

via the cobbled path

Heaven on a Plate

This is my hevean on a plate.  I tasted it while I stopped for a rest at Beijing’s Opposite House hotel Village Cafe. This dessert is their pavlova with fresh strawberries, passion fruit and home made vanilla bean ice cream.  The dessert’s stunning presentation made the dessert taste even better.

Delica

I was meeting a friend for a quick catch up tea yesterday and I had the opportunity to pop my head into the new Delica Kitchen at Yonge and St. Claire. 

Finally a quaint little spot with a New Yorkesque village/Brooklyn vibe has opened in Toronto.  There is a lot of great looking food and baked goods on the menu and prominently displayed on the counter.  While waiting for my friend to show up, I enjoyed reading a copy of the Australian publication, Gourmet magazine- of course Delica would have a great foodie mag like that lying around.  I will warn you though, there is not much space to sit (only bar/stool seating) if you are thinking of spending a long time here.  That being said, for a quick stop, in/out trip I would recommend a visit to check out their treats.

Lottie and Doof

There is a great new food blog that I found called Lottie and Doof.  (The blog is not new, it is just new to me- i want to clarify that). 

The logo spoke to me when I landed on the site and kept me browsing through the amazing food photography and recipes on this blog.  FYI: There are some good ideas for holiday cookies if anyone is still looking and I have included some pictures to show you how fabulous food can look.  I will be testing out the Chocolate Caramel Tart this week for a holiday party I am attending.

via thibeaultstable.com

via lottie and doof

via the kitchn

via color me in

via lottie and doof (a holiday cookie)

baked

I am obsessed with Baked.

I paid the bakery a visit this past weekend en route to the Butter by Nadia sample sale all the way out in Red Hook, Brooklyn.  While I walked away dressless from the sample sale, boy was it worth the Ikea water taxi across the river for a cookie and a look around the charming industrial/residential area that is Red Hook.  I had the most scrumptuous ginger molasses chocolate chip cookie that I have ever tasted in my life.  This was a serious cookie.  Moist, flavourful, a balance between soft and chewy in the middle and crispy on the edges.  I liked the cookie so much, I even spent $30 on the Baked bakery cookbook, thereby making it one expensive cookie!  Well worth it. I’m just kidding.

If you are in New York and you are feeling a bit adventurous, get yourself down to Pier 11 by Wall Street, take the Ikea water taxi (a lovely 10 minute ride on the water where you get to listen to top 40 music and read Where magazine!) and then walk over to Baked.  You won’t regret this trek I promise!  From what I understand from digging around a bit (here) about the bakery, the owners also opened a baked in Charleston and there are some great pictures here.

via coolhunting.com

via austin chronicle

via lottie and doof

Polka Dot Boxed Truffles from Three Tarts

via three tarts

Ho Hum.  With the holiday party season underway, what is a party-goer in demand supposed to gift the hostess?  I found a cute company in New York that I look forward to checking out this weekend called Three Tarts that is cooking up some cute gift ideas for the holidays.  Started by three culinary classmates nick named “three tarts” while in school, Sandra, Marla and Kiyomi seem to have a good thing going with their company.  Check out their stacked bios on the company website, you’ll soon understand why their gift ideas are so innovative and quirky.

I think the Polka Dot Boxed Truffles (above) from Three Tarts, would make a great hostess gift for the holidays.  The box is leather and lined with felt and is filled with 18 chocolate treasures!  Or the whimsical popcorn tub and its cute play on words would surely delight your business minded hostess/host. 

via three tarts

 Finally, if you are asked to bring dessert, why not offer a trio of mini parfaits in flavours chocolate banana, black and white rice pudding and pumpkin!  I want these at my next event.

via three tarts